Thursday, February 01, 2001

WILMINGTON, NC - A $10,000 gift from longtime community benefactor, Tabitha Hutaff McEachern, has ensured that a popular speaker series sponsored by UNCW's Division for Public Service and Extended Education, will continue its reputation of outstanding and entertaining speakers. In accepting the gift for the university, Ty Rowell, associate vice chancellor of university advancement, said that Ms. McEachern has had "a lifelong interest in learning and education."



Ms. McEachern, the daughter of the late George Henry Hutaff and Tabitha Cromwell Hutaff and wife of the late Walter McEachern, made the gift to UNCW to ensure the longevity of the series that now bears her name. "We named the former Adult Scholars Signature Series after Ms. McEachern in appreciation for her support and attendance for many years," said Karel Dutton, the division's director of lifelong learning. "Her gift allows us to bring in featured speakers we could not have afforded otherwise."



Mrs. McEachern was awarded the Celebrate Wilmington! Lifetime Achievement Award in the Arts in 1997 for her contributions to the community.



The lineup of programs in the Tabitha Hutaff McEachern Lifelong Learning Speaker Series for this semester include:

Dinners

•The Seasoned Eye with playwright Virginia Davis, 6 p.m. February 21, $25 includes dinner. Register by February 16.



• Serene Jazz with harpist James Kurtz and flutist Gary Lamb, 6 p.m. March 28, $25 includes dinner. Register by March 23



•Turn South at the Next Magnolia with author Nan Graham, 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, April 25, $25 includes dinner. Register by April 25.



• The History and Mystery of Humor with Dr. Elliot Engel, 6-8 p.m., Tuesday, May 15, $25 includes dinner. Register by May 8.



Lunches



•"Speak Up: The Need for Seniors to Ask Tough Questions of Policy Makers" with Dr. John Cavanaugh, UNCW Provost, Noon-1:30 p.m., Tuesday, February 27, $16 includes lunch, Register by February 23.



•An Irish Medley with vocalist Lynn O'Connell, Noon-1:30 p.m., March 14, $16 includes lunch. Register by March 10.



•Luminous Things: Imagery and Spirituality in Contemporary Poems with Mark Cox, chair of UNCW's creative writing program and award-winning poet, Noon-1:30 p.m., April 4, $16 includes lunch. Register by March 30.



• Cinematic Wilmington--Making Movies on the Cape Fear Coast with author Jean Nance and Emmy Award-winning costume designer Peggy Farrell, Noon-1:30 p.m. May 2, $16 incudes lunch. Register by April 27.



•The Influence of Japanese Woodblock Prints on 19th Century Impressionism with Paula Haller, a noted authority on Asian art and formerly with the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, Noon-1:30 p.m. May 30, $16 includes lunch, additional $10 for field trip to St. John's Museum to view its Japanese woodblock collection and Mary Cassatt paintings. Register by May 25.



• For Women Only. . .Life Begins at 50 . .to Forever with motivational speaker May Craven, Noon-1:30 p.m. June 13, $16 includes lunch. Register by June 11.



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For more information or to register with credit card, call (910) 962-3195 or visit the website at www.uncwil.edu/dpsee/continuing_ed/.